BlHeli_S passthrough

dkemxr · April 29, 2019, 2:21pm

wicked-Do you recall a time when BLHeli_S passsthough actually did work? Before BLHeli_32 functionality was implemented. I could have sworn that one of my mini quads with older Spedix BLHeli_S ESC’s was programmable via passthrough with a PixRacer. It doesn’t work now and I may be mistaken and just used the Naze32 board. This is my theory about the Wiki entry…

wicked1 · April 29, 2019, 2:28pm

I never tried it… I don’t think any passthrough was supported when I was setting up my S esc’s a couple years ago.
But, I did search and there are mentions of it possibly working last fall… so I guess I don’t know… Maybe it did work for a short time.

edit - I searched through the chat, and there are posts about blheli_s not working, starting around April 5th last year… It does sound like it was intended to work, but no one ever figured out exactly the issues…

dkemxr · April 29, 2019, 4:20pm

Yes, I suppose you are right depending on how the craft is put together. The Naze32 board I have has BF 3.1.6. I don’t recall the last version supported but I can confirm that one works.

Spencer · May 3, 2019, 7:31am

Can you tell me the link where it is documented that BLHeli_S/16 is not supported? Or can you show me the code lines?
I think that you are wrong and the doucumentation is right, because some user say that it was working in the past.

anbello · May 3, 2019, 11:46am

The related wiki page was changed recently to specify that pass-thru is supported only on blheli_32

On the code I see something that let me think that there was an initial intent to support blheli also for 8 bit microcontroller ESC. There are 3 constant imSIL_BLB, imATM_BLB, imARM_BLB which should serve to distinguish between ESC with Atmel, Silabs (8 bit micros on blheli and blheli_s) and ARM (32 bit micros on blheli_32). This is taken from betaflight and on betaflight it works for all kind of ESC.

github.com

ArduPilot/ardupilot/blob/master/libraries/AP_BLHeli/blheli_4way_protocol.h

/*
  blheli 4way protocol. Based on serial_4way.c from betaflight
 */
/*
 * Cleanflight is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
 * (at your option) any later version.
 *
 * Cleanflight is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 * GNU General Public License for more details.
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 * along with Cleanflight.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 * Author: 4712
*/

// Interface related only

This file has been truncated. show original

github.com

ArduPilot/ardupilot/blob/master/libraries/AP_BLHeli/AP_BLHeli.cpp

/*
   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
   (at your option) any later version.

   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
   GNU General Public License for more details.

   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
/*
  implementation of MSP and BLHeli-4way protocols for pass-through ESC
  calibration and firmware update

  With thanks to betaflight for a great reference
  implementation. Several of the functions below are based on

This file has been truncated. show original

OldGazer · May 6, 2019, 9:20pm

I ran into this issue recently with an Eachine DIY Tyro79 FPV quad. The kit comes with a 4-in-1 ESC that is programmed with BLHeli_S, and the only way I could get passthrough to work was to use the Google Chrome BlHeli EXTENSION. Even then the GUI did not resemble “classic” BlHeli Suite.

I have another quad with some old DYS SN20A ESCs that run “regular” BlHeli and I have to use BlHeli Suite 16.5.14.8.0.0, not that there is any reason to…

BobJ · May 22, 2020, 7:44pm

Dear All
Trying dozens times and cant do my BlHeli_s work with my PIXHAWK. The motors do not spins, and passtrough does not work too.
Please anybody to send a quad parameter file to help me?

Frame: QUAD
RCOut: PWM:1-12
fmuv2 00390040 31385112 38353731
ArduCopter V4.0.3 (ffd08628)
ChibiOS: d4fce84e
BhHelisuit32 vers :32.7.1.2
ESC RacerStar Dshot RS40A
Motors: Racerstar 4208

Manfred · August 30, 2020, 5:10pm

Bob,
I’m using BLHeli_S ESCs with the Pixhawk 2.4.8, Arducopter 3.6.8, and it works in either PWM or Oneshot mode. If set to higher modes it will use PWM instead. Even when set to Dshot it works, but in PWM…
I did not try to use passthrough. Instead I checked the configuration of my ESCs using an USB to serial converter, with a resistor and Schottky diode soldered to it, as detailed in the BLHeli Suite’s documentation. That works well, and I found that I didn’t need to change any ESC parameters.They work fine with their default configuration.
The ESCs are Littlebee Spring 30A.

I don’t know if this is helpful…

xfacta · August 30, 2020, 9:49pm

You would have to use the AUX outputs

janrunejohansen · May 31, 2022, 5:19pm

Dont want to start a new thread, but i got passthrough to work with BLHeli configurator, but not with BLHeli Suite. Its not possible to change the baudrate, and i guess that’s the problem with BLHeli Suite.

My problem on the other hand is i cant get my BTHeli (Not BTHeli_S or BTHeli32) ESC to work in DSHOT150 mode or any other modes. Just plain PWM. Is the 8 bit MCU ESC’s supported in Ardupilot/Pixhawk. Im running 4.3…